


Remediation

by peridotsarelongterm



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Angst, Codependency, Coronavirus references, Creampie, Cunnilingus, Dirty Talk, Doctor Kink, Dysfunctional Relationships, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Empath, F/M, Falling In Love, First Time, Floor Sex, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Interrogation, Medical Kink, Mirror Sex, Mirror Universe, Past Child Abuse, Penis In Vagina Sex, Pining, Porn With Plot, Porn with Feelings, Pregnancy Scares, Protective Leonard "Bones" McCoy, Reader-Insert, Shower Sex, Size Kink, Smut, Stockholm Syndrome, Swearing, Time Travel, Unplanned Pregnancy, Unprotected Sex, Vaginal Fingering, a couple of references to reader’s crap childhood but not too bad, basically a threat, hands and tongue of a surgeon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-15
Updated: 2020-07-22
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:27:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 12,615
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25289047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peridotsarelongterm/pseuds/peridotsarelongterm
Summary: Reader is from present-day Earth but gets mixed up with our favorite Mirror-Universe starship officers, particularly a certain CMO. This is kind of a grand mashup of TOS “Mirror, Mirror,” “The Empath,” and “Tomorrow Is Yesterday.”Note: I wrote this with TOS Bones in mind, but it should still be workable for AOS Bones if he’s more your thing.
Relationships: Leonard “Bones” McCoy/Reader, Mirror Leonard "Bones" McCoy/Reader
Comments: 16
Kudos: 79





	1. Calm Before the Storm

**Author's Note:**

> Caution: I’ve written mirror!Bones more charitably than I could have, but this is still not gonna be the healthiest relationship (codependency, ahoy). I will mark the smutty chapters and leave notes on potentially triggering ones in case anyone just wants to skip stuff.

“Drive safe, Y/N!” your boss called behind you. “And stay healthy!”

“Man, I’ll try. You do the same!”

No sooner had you set foot in the office to drop off some forms than you and your supervisor had gotten the text - entire building shut-down due to corona contamination. You cursed your luck and headed back to your car, hoping you hadn’t picked up anything while you were in there. 

As you walked through the parking lot, you couldn’t help noticing the air had a strange dryness to it. You paused. It was more than just simple static electricity. There even seemed to be a taste of something salty. Looking up at the oddly violet sky, you noticed a large, shadowy object that seemed to flicker, like a TV set with static. As you tried to make out what exactly it was, you felt a tingly sensation course through your veins. You realized, to your surprise and horror, that your hand was literally disappearing into the handle of your car door.

The next thing you knew, you were standing on what looked like a small stage, with several men in primary-colored uniforms staring at you. Unfortunately, your first reaction was to collapse and start dry-heaving, prompting a thin man in blue to run toward you and press something metal and hissing to your upper arm. “You alright there, my dear?” he asked, cradling you, his bright blue eyes full of concern. He waved a small, buzzing object around you. “Jim, help me get her to Sickbay. Her blood pressure dropped like a rock, she’ll feel better if she lies down. Damn transporters.”

Normally, you’d have expected a medical practitioner to use a gurney to move patients, but not this doctor. He and another man, whom he introduced as Captain Jim Kirk, hefted you up like a sack of feathers and carried you through the hallway themselves.

Now you were sitting on what they called a biobed in the Sickbay of the “Federation starship Enterprise,” holding a small combination coffeemaker/cup they’d given you full of black coffee. The captain and his chief surgeon (the two who had carried you), as well as the first officer (who you were shocked and pretty excited to learn was extraterrestrial), were interviewing you, and they all seemed as confused as you as to how you’d gotten aboard their ship.

“What’s the last thing you remember,” Kirk asked, his arms crossed over his chest.

“Well, I was leaving work,” you said, “and it looked like a storm was about to hit. It was weird.”

“Weird how?”

“Well, weird for this time of the year. We don’t usually get summer storms where I live, especially with a pink sky. We don’t even get that in the winter.”

“Was there a...a sort of metallic scent?” he asked.

“Now that you mention it, yeah,” you said. “A ton of static electricity, too.”

“The ion storm,” Kirk mused.

“Yeah, I guess?” you said, not really knowing what was involved in that. “Anyway, I just wanted to get home. I’d just gotten a text they were shutting the office down because of COVID contamination. By the way, I should probably put that mask back on,” gesturing to the doctor’s hand.

“COVID?” Kirk asked.

“Coronavirus,” you said. “We’re in the middle of a pandemic.”

“The last coronavirus outbreak anywhere was in 2135,” the CMO said, revealing a southern accent in his pronunciation of the disease’s name. “Are you tryin’ to tell us—“

“2135?” you asked, laughing. “Ah, no. It was 2020 last I checked my calendar.”

The three men looked at each other in astonishment.

“Are you telling us you’re from the early 21st century?” Kirk asked incredulously. He glanced at the other two. “What can you tell us about Earth? Do you remember the 1990s at all?”

“Hmm,” you replied. You had been little more than a kid at that time. Pokémon, tamagotchis, and boy bands all came to mind, but not much else.

“You don’t recall any wars or famines?” Kirk asked.

“Not so much in the U.S.,” you said. “Well, there was the Iraq War in the 2000s and 9/11, stuff like that. Most of that impacted the Middle East and Afghanistan, though.”

They stared at you blankly. “What about the Eugenics Wars of the 1990s? The Bell Riots?”

You stared back blankly. “Doesn’t sound familiar, sorry.”

The first officer raised an eyebrow. “Captain, I think it is worth considering that our guest may not have lived through the early 21st century as we know it.”

“Explain, Spock.”

“I mean, Captain, that she could be from another universe.” He paused thoughtfully. “What did you learn about the history of the Terran Empire while you were there?”

“Mr. Spock, you don’t believe... It couldn’t be, Y/N is nothing like the people we encountered there.” Kirk shot a smile and a wink at you.

“No, captain.” Spock replied. “But the reports you brought back indicate the Terrans were not always like that, either. It was not until the middle of the century that things deteriorated past the point of no return. In our universe, the Eugenics Wars ultimately led to the Bell Riots, which led to the Federation and a better way of life. The Terrans had neither of these, only lesser atrocities that, tragically, failed to result in longstanding change. All of what Ms. Y/LN is telling us is consistent with the history of that universe.”

“Well, thank heaven she came here by mistake,” the doctor said, smiling and nodding at you while he bounced slightly. You smiled back. These guys were pretty shameless flirts, but you couldn’t say you exactly minded. What Spock was saying, though, was disturbing, and you wanted to hear more.

“I would not celebrate prematurely, doctor. Ever since the barrier was breached, the fabric has been weakened. It could be that Ms. Y/LN was destined to that universe instead. That her beaming aboard our ship was an error. If that is the case, they will be coming for her. Our first priority, for both her sake and ours, must be to get away from this ion storm and from that danger. We can then determine how to get our guest home safely.”

You were about to interject with questions of your own when the ship shuddered and a strange jolt went through you. It was followed by another that knocked you to the ground and brought back the dizziness and nausea from earlier. When you looked up, you caught a brief glimpse of figures in red uniforms moving to grab you and heard the hiss of a hypospray at your neck before everything went black.


	2. Reflections

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our Reader wakes up in the Mirror Universe and meets some of its citizens. She makes a surprising discovery about herself in the process.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There’s a brief threat of noncon here, but it doesn’t lead to that. Otherwise, it’s your standard mirror counterpart assholery. 
> 
> Also a couple of brief references to past child abuse and parental alcoholism.

When you came to, the first thing you noticed was how dark it was. The lights had been dimmed to about a third of their previous power and the lively colors of the Sickbay were now dim and shadowy.

The second thing you noticed was the Sickbay itself. It looked as though a pack of feral animals had run through it. Instead of the CMO’s trinkets, various stains and spills provided the decor, and equipment and records were scattered haphazardly. It definitely didn’t look like anywhere you would want to get medical treatment.

And then there were the faces standing by and the fact that you were strapped down to the biobed.

“Well, well, looks like she’s coming around.” You squinted. It sounded like Kirk, but the tone was very different. The words were benign enough, but there was a definite harshness in the tone that immediately made you uneasy.

“Did you enjoy your time in the other universe?” he continued. “The USS Enterprise?” He emphasized the initials with a sneering hostility. “I suggest you leave any notions of ‘Federation’ protocol behind. This is a different ship, and it runs according to MY command. Not that simpering imposter’s.”

Shit. You vaguely recalled Spock having said something about needing to get out of an ion storm before “they” came for you. These must be the “they” he was referring to. The other ship from the other universe. You fully understood his haste now. This place looked like something out of a nightmare, and this captain’s tone and words were bringing up some memories from your childhood you’d prefer to not relive. You could already feel yourself slipping back into your “gray rock” coping patterns as you responded to him.

“Okay, captain,” you murmured.

“What was that?” he barked.

“Yes, Captain Kirk,” you stated, keeping your voice as steady as possible. “I understand.”

“Good,” he said. “I’m glad to see you’re sensible. My first officer and I have pressing matters to attend to, so Dr. McCoy will be conducting this interrogation. I strongly suggest you comply.” He said the last thing with a creepy parody of a smile that made your stomach twist.

You’d been too woozy to pay much attention to the other two figures flanking the captain, but now you recognized them. Both were largely indistinguishable from the counterparts, except this Spock wore a mustache and goatee, and this McCoy had a gold sash around his waist and a distinctly unhealthy look about him. You recognized it immediately - it was the same way your mother looked after a 3-day bender. Kirk and Spock left the room, leaving you alone with this bleary-eyed stranger.

“Well, my dear, how are we doing today?” he drawled, a smirk twisting his features.

Normally, you were sensible, as this Kirk had observed, and fairly cautious. But the inanity of this question, in light of your being strapped down and nauseated from being drugged, was too fucking much. “How do you think I’m doing?” you blurted out.

Instantly, his face changed and he had you by the hair. “Let’s get a few things straight, my dear girl,” he growled. “This is my Sickbay. I’m in charge here. If you want to be a smart ass, I have special treatments for that. Do you understand?”

You nodded and swallowed hard. The smirk returned to his face and he bounced in satisfaction. “Now, the captain seems to think you know something that would be useful to him. Something about a man named Gabriel Bell. What can you tell us about him?”

You remembered the other Kirk mentioning something about Bell Riots. Were the names related? Either way, you didn’t know anything about either, and even if you had, you probably wouldn’t have felt like sharing. “I already told the other Kirk I don’t know shit about any of that,” you said.

McCoy chuckled darkly. “You may have been able to pull the innocent routine on Starfleet, my dear, but you’ll find that doesn’t work as well on us. Now answer my question.”

“I told you, I don’t know,” you said. “If you don’t believe me, why don’t you have your Spock just do a mind-meld?”

“I strongly doubt you’d want him to do that, sweetheart,” he said, as he started to go through your backpack, looking at your ID. “Unless you want your brains to get even more scrambled up than they obviously already are.” He sat down and peered at you. “No. I don’t suppose you do have any information that would be useful. You’re not from the right place, and the years are all wrong. Which will greatly limit your usefulness on this ship, I’m afraid.”

“So, send me back to where you got me.”

“Send you back? Oh, no,” he laughed. “You see, our captain doesn’t like to give back his toys, especially not to the imposter who upset things on his ship. No, I’m afraid you’re stuck here.”

“So, what’s going to happen to me?”

“Well, that’s up to you, my dear,” he said, leering and stroking your cheek. “Can you think of something else that would make you useful to us?”

Your stomach twisted. You knew exactly what he was getting at. It wasn’t because he was unattractive. On the contrary, the second his nicer counterpart had smiled at you in the transporter room, you’d wanted to do absolutely filthy things to him. It was the circumstances. There was no way you could refuse this man anything and have there not be terrible consequences. Consent really wasn’t going to be a possibility here.

Suddenly, his face changed. The leer disappeared, and you saw a spark of something that resembled concern. He leaned in close, close enough for you to catch a whiff of hangover mixed with cologne and antiseptic. “You’re some kind of empath, aren’t you, girl?” he asked.

“What??” you asked.

“You don’t even know what that is, do you?”

“Uh, I guess I do,” you said. New age stuff hadn’t really been your thing, but you’d heard the term “highly sensitive person” bandied about since you were a neurodivergent kid, and you’d seen the terms sometimes used together.

“Unusually perceptive and able to sense others’ feelings. Sometimes so much that you can project your emotions or even heal. I could sense your thoughts just now.”

“I mean, you probably don’t have to be psychic to guess I’m feeling a little threatened here” you snarked.

“Lucky for you I’m not,” he retorted. “But that was an unusually clear picture. I could hear the song you were thinking to try and calm yourself. It was a hymn, wasn’t it? ‘His Eye Is on the Sparrow?’”

It was indeed that hymn that had been running through your head. It had comforted you through a lot of bad situations.

“Do you have any idea how fucked you are if the others find this out about you?”

“More fucked than I already am?” You closed your eyes, expecting the same reaction your prior sarcasm had earned.

“Yes,” he replied, strangely unannoyed this time by your continued sarcasm. He unlocked the restraints so you could sit up. You did so, rubbing your arms, before he could change his mind.

“Do you know what the Empire does to people like you?” he asked. “No,” he said looking at you. “I don’t suppose you would. Miss Y/LN, an empath doesn’t only feel and project emotions. There’s often a healing component, too, but it usually comes at a considerable cost to the empath. Do you understand?”

You nodded. “That makes sense,” you said.

He sighed. “I’ll do what I can,” he said. “I can’t do much about Spock. My guess is as a Vulcan, he may already know. But the captain and the others shouldn’t find this out.”

“Doctor, I really shouldn’t ask, but I need to know - why are you suddenly so concerned about my well being? A few minutes ago, you couldn’t have cared less.”

“My daughter was like you,” he said tersely. “It didn’t turn out well for her. I won’t watch it happen to another person.”


	3. Haunted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> McCoy tries to come up with an alibi and also cope with past grief.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: References to past loss of a child.

“What do you mean you got nothing?” Kirk yelled, indignant.

“This woman is from more than 200 years ago,” McCoy growled. “What did you want me to ask her? How to change an automobile tire? Everything she knows she already told us.”

“What. About. Bell?” Kirk exploded, banging his fist on his desk.

“We were off by 500 miles!” McCoy snarled, his accent coming through. “Bell was a nobody in San Francisco. Y/N lives in Los Angeles. She wouldn’t know him.”

Kirk paced, furious but also reasoning. “Fine,” he responded. “Then she’s of no use to us. Have Scott transport her to deep space.” After the way the other Kirk’s first officer had treated him on the USS Enterprise, there was no way he was going to send anything but death and disease back that way.

McCoy thought a moment. “It’s possible she may still be useful, sir. Earth in 2020 was in the middle of a viral pandemic very similar to the one that got the Yorktown last month. If she has the antibodies, I might be able to get a vaccine out of her.”

Kirk grinned. “More experiments, eh Bones?” he asked. “And you called me ruthless!” He laughed and strode out of the room. “Have fun,” he called over his shoulder as he left for the bridge.

McCoy slumped in relief. He had narrowly managed to save Y/N from being destroyed. He didn’t know how long he’d be able to use this excuse, but that at least bought some time. He hadn’t been completely dishonest - the disease that had afflicted the crew of the Yorktown was a virus very similar to the one that had caused the 2020 Earth pandemic, and there was definitely a possibility he could use your blood to create a vaccine, assuming you’d been exposed - but he had no intention of doing anything that would harm you.

Until that morning, McCoy had thought himself capable of doing just about anything to anyone, but his encounter with you - especially the song you’d managed to relay - had brought up memories of the one person he would have fought like hell to protect. The one remaining scrap of humanity and decency he had left was tethered to those memories, and he’d fought hard to preserve it despite the numerous unsavory acts his position and captain had required of him. McCoy had been able to rationalize just about every act of violence, every atrocity he had been commanded to do for the Empire, but no amount of compartmentalization or pharmaceutical concoction would allow him to live with himself if he had to relive what had happened to Joanna.

He let out a ragged sigh. Of all the times to get sentimental, and about a stranger no less. Y/N could easily be every bit as untrustworthy as anyone on the ship, and he could very well be signing his own death warrant if he pissed Kirk off badly enough. For his daughter’s sake, though, he had to. It was the least he could do to make up for not being able to save her. There had also been something about Y/N - in her voice, perhaps - that implied sincerity, or at least trust. As long as she trusted him, that gave him the upper hand. He just had to ensure it stayed that way.


	4. Follow-up Visit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mirror!McCoy and the Reader meet again.

Nurse Chapel had gleefully told you your quarters weren’t as bad as the brig on the ship, but they weren’t much better, either. The walls needed a good scrubbing, and you didn’t really want to think about the last time the bedding had been washed. At least there was a private restroom away from the guard’s eyes. That was something. You figured you’d be spending most of your time in there, partly to get away from the constant leering and also to cope with whatever these people decided to feed you. 

You heard the doctor’s voice at the door. He barked at the guard to leave and then walked in. “Ms. Y/LN?”

“Present,” you responded, eyeing him cautiously. After a few moments of awkward silence, you offered a very small, cautious smile as an olive branch. 

The next thing McCoy did was simultaneously endearing and terrifying: he smiled back. This was not the smile of a man used to doing so. This was the smile of someone who had not known happiness or humor in some years, whose face muscles had been used only in the line of duty - and whose duty was usually to subdue or terrify. The result could best be described as an uneven grimace, but you could see the effort behind it and figured that was something to recognize nonetheless.

“Y/N,” he began, stepping toward you. Instinctively, you took a step back, and he looked pained. Gathering up all your nerve, you stepped forward again, and looked up at him timidly. Like his counterpart, he was not at all hard on the eyes, and damn if that didn’t just make your situation even more unnerving. Shivering, you tried to push that thought out of your head. 

“Uh, I’d invite you to sit, but...” you gestured around at your cell, which held a tiny cot in the corner and very little otherwise. 

“Right. You’ll be moving out of here. I’ve arranged for a room next to Sickbay.”

“Oh?”

“The captain agreed with my evaluation of your, uh, body of knowledge, but he’s consented to you staying on board so long as you have a scientific purpose.” He smirked, but instantly corrected himself when he saw your horrified expression. 

“Y/N, it’s a cover,” he said. “It’ll buy you some time. It’ll also keep you away from anyone who might guess at your other talents.”

“Wait, time until what?” you asked.

“Until I can think of something more permanent. Somewhere safer. For all we know, the other Enterprise is trying to figure something out now. But that won’t do you much good if you’re gone by the time they get here.”

“I probably shouldn’t be questioning this, but why are you doing this for me again?” 

“I told you. If I’d been able to get my daughter someplace like that, I would have.”


	5. Influence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Reader and mirror!Len spend more time together, and he realizes he’s beginning to enjoy it.

Surprisingly, McCoy delivered on his promise. Within the hour, two grim-faced female redshirts had led you to a small but comfortable room adjacent to Sickbay. It wasn’t exactly the lap of luxury, but it was much cleaner and more private. He was also doing his best to provide you with things to do in his absence, so you wouldn’t need to venture out too much. The less attention you attracted, he explained, the safer you would be.

So far, he had been able to keep you safe mostly by flying under the radar. Kirk was mostly too interested in conquests to inquire as to what his medical department got up to in its spare time, and the medical staff knew better than to question the activities of their head when his office door was closed. 

Lately, those doors were closed more than usual, but not for the reason they might have expected. McCoy was running tests on you, but nothing that had hurt (so far). Every day, he gathered some data on you, enough to keep any of Kirk’s potential curiosities at bay. He would explain what he was doing as he went, and you let him share. As it turned out, you did have the antibodies he was seeking, and he believed he’d be able to use them to inoculate against a much more potent virus that had been making the rounds throughout the Alpha Quadrant thanks to the movements of Terran starships.

The two of you didn’t talk all that much besides that. You didn’t want to rock the boat too much, and for his part, he mostly just enjoyed your comparative calm and gentleness. For all your talent with sarcasm, he found you had a very calming energy. He wasn’t sure if that was how you actually felt or if it was just an effect of your empathic abilities. In any case, he didn’t understand how you could stay so gentle in the face of all this dysfunction. It was enormously therapeutic, though, after a morning of dealing with Kirk’s tantrums and his own staff constantly challenging and trying him to come and spend time alone with you.

It worried him, though. He could feel himself starting to get used to your calm, the way a body does to a tub of warm water after being cold. At the same time as he found himself craving even more of your comfort, he knew it was only a matter of time before it was taken away. He noticed especially that he hadn’t been craving alcohol as much lately, but what was he replacing it with exactly? Any addiction was a form of being controlled and could be used against a person. McCoy had been through withdrawal from alcohol and various other drugs and knew what to expect from that. Ties to a person were infinitely more dangerous, and as much as he enjoyed your presence (and, if he was honest, longed for it when you weren’t around), he knew he was being dangerously foolish by allowing himself this need. He couldn’t help himself, though. Nice things didn’t normally find their way into his corner of the universe, and even though he knew he’d likely not get to keep this one, he couldn’t resist enjoying it as long as it lasted.

The worst part of all was that you seemed to not only accept him as he was, but to even appreciate him to some degree. One day, for example, he came to his office to find you there already with a thermos of black coffee waiting for him, just the way he liked it. He didn’t know where you’d gotten it, nor could he figure out what had motivated you to get it for him. No one had ever done such things for him without being expected to, and even then it was usually grudgingly and with some kind of verbal abuse. He eventually decided it was because you were looking to get something from him, but what? Security? He was already giving you what of that he could, and you clearly weren’t that stupid to think he could do much more.

Here and there, he tested you. Not to be sadistic, the way Kirk might (and the way his medical staff would think he would), but to see what your limits were. How much of himself could he reveal and invest before you would shut down and treat him as what he really was - a glorified jailer. He both yearned for and dreaded that moment when he’d see the light in your beautiful Y/E/C eyes shut off and the resigned contempt appear. At least that would be familiar and controllable.

Because that was ultimately what terrified him. He had no expertise here, no clue how to navigate any of this, and therefore no control. Unlike his counterpart in the other universe, this McCoy had never married or been even much involved with Joanna’s mother, and most relationships among the Terran officers were unhealthy to say the least, so he had little to go on. All he knew was he thought of you constantly when you weren’t together, but he had little to no idea who you really were. And definitely no idea how he could approach you in order to learn.


	6. Repairs**

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader gives injured Leonard some TLC, and he pays her back with interest. ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Per the **, this has smut. Len is slightly buzzed and out of it, so maybe a bit dubcon? He’s pretty enthusiastic, though.
> 
> Oh yeah, injuries at the beginning, too.

You hadn’t been on the USS Enterprise for very long at all, but your stay had been long enough to get a sense of how the crew operated. Most of their time seemed to be spent in transit, but there were occasional missions to the various planets. These were usually diplomatic in nature and resulted in new information about cultures and alliances for the Federation.

Away missions were a very different matter on an ISS vessel, though, and this Kirk showed little concern for the well-being of his crew or the citizens of the places they visited. Sickbay usually had its hands full after Kirk exercised his idea of diplomacy, and today your “benefactor” had his hands full patching up burned and wounded bodies. When you finally saw him in his quarters, he looked pale and exhausted. He went straight for the Saurian brandy, and you noticed fresh blood seeping through the side of his shirt, though he’d tried to hide it with the sash.

“You’re injured,” you said, aghast. “Let me get a nurse.”

“Don’t you fucking _dare_ ,” he snarled. The memory of your dad when his combat PTSD had been triggered flooded back and your eyes got wide as your own fight or flight response kicked on.

Leonard clearly got the picture, because he grimaced and explained. “I take care of myself when this happens, Y/N,” he said, pounding the brandy. “If Chapel thought this was enough to take me out, she’d assassinate me.”

You nodded, feeling a surge of compassion. How many times had the man been through this on his own? Ensuring the door was well locked and the soundproofing on, you went to the cabinet and gathered some antiseptic and the least filthy-looking linens you could find. Standing in front of him, you said, “Take it off.”

He grumbled but acquiesced, removing the sash as well as the stained shirt and undershirt. You poured him a glass of the brandy to take the edge off. Then, reconsidering, you poured him another. The regen unit was drained, so this would need to be done the old-fashioned way for now. Needles and sutures.

In silence, you assisted the doctor in his repair. McCoy had been correct. The wound itself, though bloody, was superficial and you were able to help him clean and dress it with your own basic first-aid knowledge. As you worked, you tried not to notice the bare skin around it, the way the muscles in his arms and abdomen tensed when you held antiseptic to the broken skin. For such a thin man, he was incredibly well built, and you tried not to think about running your fingers through the even covering of soft brown hair on his chest. Your hands betrayed you, though, and as your fingertips grazed him, the quietest of whimpers escaped him.

You smoothed on a bandage and led him to his bedroom to rest. Seeing that he was a bit feverish, you got him some pills and a cup of water. You sat beside him on the bed as you handed them to him, and his larger right hand took hold of one of yours. His eyes focused on yours, and they looked less tired, but the fatigue had given way to a haunted look you didn’t know how to help. You didn’t know what to say to the man. What kind of condolences could you offer that would ease that kind of brokenness?

Thankfully, you didn’t need to. Turning your hand over in his, he pressed the back to his flushed face. “So cool,” he said, pressing the palm to his forehead.

You smirked, thinking of the “cold hands, warm heart” adage you’d always heard, but you didn’t say it. “Yeah, I tend to run a bit on the cool side,” you shrugged.

He glared at you. “Dammit, why do you always have exactly what I need? Every damn time. Why are you like this?” he demanded in a low hiss. “Why do you _give_ to me?”

You knew what he really wanted to ask was, _When are you going to stop?_

“Don’t you know I can’t repay it? I have nothing to give you.”

“Shh, doc, get some rest,” you said, pushing him back down.

“I can barely even stop them from taking you,” he said miserably. “I can’t even tell you what I might’ve done to you that first day. Why are you kind to me? Just tell me that much.”

You considered. “Because you try,” you said. “And because you’re probably the only person on this ship who would think to ask that or feel bad about the other.”

He shook his head. “You know you’re in danger, don’t you? Sooner or later, I’m going to piss Jim Kirk off, and then I’m going to disappear. And if he thinks you’re mine, you’ll go with me.”

“Beats being shot out into space,” you mused.

“Dammit, Y/N, I’m serious.”

“Well...am I?” you asked. If he wasn’t going to go with your joke, fuck him, you’d just point out the elephant he’d let loose in the room.

”Are you what?”

“Yours. You said, ‘if Kirk thinks you’re mine.’” He looked faintly terrified and shut his eyes. “What does that mean?”

“What do you think it means?” he said bitterly. “Anyway, it doesn’t matter if you were. All they’d need is to suspect it.”

“Doc...” your voice trailed off. You were going to ask if that was what he wanted, but you knew he wasn’t going to give you a direct answer, at least not verbally. You touched the side of his face, turning it to you. There was fear and bitterness in those eyes, but beyond that, there was also something softer — a plea. Ignoring the veritable red flag assembly line right in front of you, you leaned forward and did what no Terran woman in her right mind would’ve considered. You bent forward and kissed him. Very lightly at first, just barely touching your lips to his. They were hot and a bit chapped. You pulled back and then kissed again, with more pressure.

McCoy thought he must be in the middle of a fever dream at this point. Just being around Y/N was already one of the best things to ever happen to him, and now she was throwing herself at him, on his bed no less. She couldn’t really know what she was getting herself into, and he knew he should warn her, but then again, dammit he was only a man, and a slightly drunk and half-delirious one at that. And if it was a dream, he might as well make the most of it.

Knotting his hot hand in your hair, he kissed back, opening his mouth and taking over hungrily. He propped himself up on one elbow and pulled you down onto his bed with him. The kiss deepened, and he explored your mouth eagerly as you gently ran your hands over his bare shoulders and back, taking care to avoid any scraped areas. He moaned softly at your soft touches, his own hands beginning to roam down your sides and his lips along your jaw and down your neck. “Y/N,” he murmured. “You don’t know what you’re doin’ here. You don’t know what I am.”

You knew he wasn’t wrong, but the way he was touching you somehow outweighed common sense at the moment. His caresses felt both deeply relaxing and almost electric, and you found yourself needing to feel them everywhere. Finally pulling away, you asked, “Do you want to stop?”

“No,” he growled.

Well, that settled it, and your mouths joined again, his kisses getting deeper and needier. This time, he got bolder, breaking away and zeroing his efforts in on your chest. You whimpered softly as he trailed his lips down your cleavage and kneaded you roughly through the fabric of your top. Your shirt and bra were quickly discarded after that, and you discovered that as talented as his hands were, they were no match for his mouth.

So, when he continued south, rolling up your skirt and kissing his way down your side and then to the insides of your thighs, you were beside yourself with anticipation.

”Doc, aren’t you in pain?” you protested, gasping. As wound up as you were, you still didn’t want him to bust his stitches.

”Shhh. I need this, honey,” he whispered. With that, he gently removed your underwear and lowered his head.

You’d never really been hugely excited about receiving oral sex, but that had been mostly due to your prior experiences, and now you cursed your ex-boyfriend for your having to go to this fucked-up place and get into the bed of a possible madman before you knew what everyone else was talking about. Gripping your hips, he fairly devoured you, trying one technique after another, and studying how you responded. “Is that it, honey?” he drawled. “Is that the spot?”

“Yes!” you cried, begging him to continue.

“Mmm, you’re delicious, sugar,” he hummed, swirling his tongue around your entrance and lapping at you insistently. The vibrations from his hum reverberated throughout your core, making you writhe in ecstasy. He reached up with one hand and took hold of yours, watching your face and getting aroused beyond belief at being the one to have this effect on you. You felt his other hand slide up your body to your breasts, and you cried out as he began to tease one and then the other, squeezing them and pinching the nipples.

You were a moaning, babbling mess at this point, unable to focus on anything but his miracle of a tongue working at you. You bit your lip, trying to keep your noises down, but he wasn’t going to have that.

“No, honey,” he said. “Let me hear you. Tell me how good it is.”

“It’s so good, doctor,” you sobbed, right on the brink.

“That’s it, my dear,” he hummed. “Come on. Come for me.” Keeping his eyes on your face and smirking, he provided just the right amount of suction and swirled his tongue just the way you needed.

With a prolonged cry of his name, you tumbled over the edge of what was probably the hardest orgasm of your life until now, squeezing his hand as you bucked uncontrollably against his face. He kept his mouth on you, drawing out your climax as long as it would go until you were panting with exhaustion. He then crawled back up your body and pressed a deep, passionate kiss to your lips. The taste of yourself on him sent aftershocks of lust through you.

He squeezed you tightly and whispered one thing in your ear before passing out: “Now you’re mine.”


	7. Catharsis**

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mirror!Len has a bad day at work, but overtime with the Reader helps.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is smut candy with a fluff center. Doctor kink, size kink, and dirty talk all abound.

You didn’t see Leonard until fairly late the next day. When you did, it was fairly clear something awful had happened. He was sitting on a biobed with his head in one hand, a glass of booze in the other. On the counter by him was a bigger bottle. Obviously he was counting on this being a long night.

You said nothing, just sitting down beside him and waiting. After a few moments, you felt his energy change from something almost catatonic to more like regular despair. On an impulse, you gently caressed his back, hoping to soothe him. Instead, what happened was you got an image of what his afternoon had been like. Two men, enemies of the Empire, in a room being tortured. They hadn’t been good people, the way you sensed it, but it was a horrible scene nonetheless, and it was fairly clear that Leonard had been involved in their ordeal.

“What in hell,” Leonard exploded, standing up. “Are you reading me? Who fucking told you you could do that?”

“I didn’t mean to,” you stammered. “I was trying to-- it just kind of came to me when I was trying to comfort you.”

“Don’t you ever do that to me without my permission!”

“Wait, what the fuck,” you asked, getting up as well. “Are you saying I can’t be near you? Because it’s not like I really know how this works yet. I’m probably going to pick up on things whether you like it or not.”

He took a long swig of his bourbon and grimaced. “Y/N, you have no idea who I am. Or of what I’ve done.”

“Then fucking tell me,” you yelled, exasperated. “You keep warning me about how terrible you’ve been and trying to drive me away. Why not just get it over with?”

Leonard pushed you against the wall, lips covering yours and tongue invading your mouth harshly. “Is this what you want, girl?” He growled. “You want to know about this? About who I am and what I want? You want a man like me makin’ love to you? Is that what you’re asking for?”

You nodded vigorously.

“Fuck,” he muttered. “Then you’re going to get it.”

Swiftly, he had you picked up and deposited on an exam table and was eyeing you with a predator’s gaze. “You haven’t had a proper physical since you’ve been on board, have you?” he asked.

You were guessing proper meant anything but that in this context. Wanting to see where he was going with this, though, you followed his lead and said, “No, doc.”

He groaned a little at your use of his title. “Then it’s high time you had one.” He raised the table into more of a sitting position. “Lean back,” he instructed.

You did as told, rolling up your skirt a little as well.

“Very good,” he said, grinning. “I’ll bet you’ve never had a physical as thorough as this.” Before you could answer, you felt rough hands pushing up your skirt and sliding up your bare thighs, fingertips massaging the insides. A sudden gust of cool air alerted you to the fact that there was moisture even that far down, and he immediately remarked on it. “You’re wet for me, aren’t you my dear? What am I going to find if I go further up?”

“Only one way to find out,” you gasped.

“Shh,” he reprimanded, sliding a thumb across your lips. “I’m the doctor here. I’m in charge of this procedure. Now, first things first. Take off that shirt.“

You obliged, removing your top but leaving the bra. He shook his head. With one snap of his fingers, he had the front clasp undone, and he pushed the cups out of the way and the straps off your shoulders. You sat completely topless now, exposed to his gaze. The way he looked and inadvertently licked his lip made you feel even more naked.

“We’ll start with the breast exam,” Leonard drawled, a gleam in his eye. His accent was stronger now. He moved so that he was standing right between your legs, close enough for you to smell the hint of bourbon on his breath. He hummed appreciatively as he cupped and stroked one breast and then the other with his large hands, kneading the flesh gently and circling the nipple with his thumb. “Hmm, very good. Do you check yourself regularly?”

“Yes,” you sighed, absorbing the feeling of his hot hands on you.

“Good. Show me how you do it,” he said, pausing in his attentions. Keeping your eyes on him, you put two fingers in your mouth and collected the moisture, then stroked them around your breast, caressing and pinching the nipple. Your teasing had the desired effect. Leonard stared at you and groaned lowly, and you could feel him hardening where his front was pressed against your leg.

His hands slowly continued down your sides, massaging around your hips and cupping then pinching your ass. He growled as he squeezed the soft flesh. So, he was an ass man, too. Somehow you’d known this. You groaned at the time he was taking, and he chuckled, his hands finally making their way back to the insides of your thighs and then easing your underwear down your legs. His rough fingertips teased your outer folds. “Just as I thought,” he purred. “You’re soaked. How long have you been like this?”

You didn’t know. You just knew you wanted it and him now. You bit your lip and moaned loudly as he teased, using one hand to spread you wider and continuing his light touches on your outer folds, watching his hands as he went. You just about jumped out of your skin when he pressed deeper, finally stroking your slit the way you needed. He coated one finger in your slick and examined it in the dim light.

“I think you’re ready for the internal exam, my dear,” he whispered, leaning in so his face was inches from yours.

Pushing you backward slightly, he slid one thick finger into you and you clenched around it. Slowly, he withdrew it and pushed in again, curling it as he went.

“So fuckin’ tight,” he hissed, his accent really coming out now. You looked down and just as you’d suspected, the bulge in his trousers had grown. You tried to palm it, wanting to reciprocate, but he swatted your hand away. “Remember who’s in charge here,” he growled.

“You’re so tight around just one finger,” he whispered. “I wonder how two would feel?” He added a second, starting to slowly fuck you with them, and you threw back your head, moaning and clenching as you started grinding against him. You didn’t know where he had learned how to touch a woman, but you were definitely grateful to whoever had taught him.

“How’s everything feel, doc,” you gasped, trying to egg him on with more role-playing.

“Very, very healthy,” he purred. “Just lookin’ to test a particular reflex now.” He added his thumb to the mix, circling your clit until you cried out. “That’s it, sweetheart,” he cooed. “Don’t hold back now. Show me how you feel when you come.”

You were close now, and so ready to just let go and do as he asked, but what you really wanted was to feel him inside you.

“Doc, I need more,” you pleaded, looking at the tenting in his trousers and the way he had started to stroke it himself, obviously needing some relief of his own.

“More?” He smirked. “I’m not sure you could handle it.” There was an undercurrent in his voice, though, that belied the teasing. You knew he was only just barely holding back, and it wouldn’t take much at this point to snap his self-control.

“ _Please_ doc,” you urged, looking at him pleadingly and clenching around his fingers.

The begging did it. He cursed, continuing to stroke you with one hand while undoing his belt and unbuttoning his trousers. Hastily, he pulled them down enough to let his length spring free. You gasped as you looked at what he had taken out. He hadn’t been kidding when he’d said he wasn’t sure if you could take him.

His eyes lit up when he saw yours widen. “Second thoughts, my dear?” he asked. He gave his dick a few pumps. It was glistening with precum, and you suspected he was already close just from the teasing.

“No. Please, Leonard,” you said. “I want you.”

“Good,” he growled, lifting his shirt over his head and pressing himself to you. He grabbed you up into a deep, rough kiss and pinned your hands back with his.

You could feel his bare head up against your entrance, and you whimpered, both nervous and desperate to feel him inside you. Lining himself up, he ran his teeth against your neck, nipping and biting. Suddenly, he pushed himself up into you in one thrust, and you wailed. You hadn’t been with anyone in a while, and he was stretching you so far you could barely breathe.

“Oh fuck, sweetheart,” he sobbed into your shoulder, pulling back and then thrusting in again hard. “Leonard!” you cried. It was part pain, part ecstasy, part being overwhelmed by the fierce desperation with which he was starting to fuck you, like the need of 1,000 pon farrs had been pent up inside one man with no outlet for years until you happened along. “So fucking good,” he groaned, and you moaned an agreement, rolling your hips in rhythm with his. His free hand roamed all over your body, squeezing and gripping mindlessly, as he pumped himself into you furiously. The friction was almost unbearable.

It wasn’t hard to pass his reflex test now. A few more seconds of his fingers circling your clit and his swelling cock rubbing against your g-spot was all it took for you to sob his title and wrap your legs around him, pulling him deep inside as you ground out an intense orgasm around his girth. You couldn’t have known that this would be his biggest turn-on -- being claimed and demanded this way. With a choked yell, he pressed into you as far as he could go and came hard. “Ugghh, take it, honey, oh fuck, take it all,” he urged, as he gripped your thighs and pounded into you, filling you with what you were sure was a massive release, as pent up as he had been. You moaned as you felt it warm and welling up inside you.

He collapsed forward onto you, trembling slightly. You tightened your embrace a little, murmuring softly, and squeezed your thighs around his waist. He pulled back and looked at you, and he looked almost as relaxed as his counterpart. When he’d gotten his bearings, you let him carry you back to his quarters and put you in his bed, where he held you tightly against his front, almost too tightly for comfort. There was no pillow talk, just the sounds of his breathing and the feel of his body, wiry and hot against yours. You could sense him, though - the heaviness and isolation you usually felt from him had dissipated somewhat, and what you sensed most now was relief. Relief and something else. Like affection, but something deeper. You tried not to think too hard about it and just concentrated on the sounds of his breathing, the beating of his heart, and the kisses he pressed to the back of your neck.

You didn’t get much sleep that night. It wasn’t common knowledge, but this McCoy suffered from nightmares, and a couple of times, you awoke to him sitting up, drenched in sweat and shivering. Each time, you held him as he recovered, and each time, that led to something else. On one level, you knew it probably wasn’t the healthiest thing for him to treat his issues by rolling you over and fucking you halfway through the mattress, but at the same time, it was also better than drinking, it was safer than him seeing a Terran “therapist,” and damn if it didn’t feel amazing.


	8. Oversight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Reader gets two pretty big surprises, one from Len and another from Spock.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There’s a reference to smut at the beginning, but nothing too explicit. Also stuff about pregnancy, a noncon mind-meld, and codependency.

After that night, even though you still retained your unofficial quarters by Sickbay, you started spending fewer nights there and more in Leonard’s quarters. You came to get used to his occasional awakening, and at the same time, he found that he awakened less and less with you there.

At least due to the nightmares. You still got woken up sometimes, but there were other causes for that. For whatever reason, Leonard’s talents in that area had been woefully underutilized, so he was availing himself of all the practice he could get now. During the daytime, too, his door was still locked regularly, but the vaccine was mostly a done deal (though he was taking his time about announcing it to Kirk). His new pet project was apparently seeing how many ways a Terran medical officer could bring a 21st century office worker to climax, and every square inch of his office and personal quarters had become incorporated into the pursuit of this research.

Which is why, when your period didn’t start when expected, you were horrified but not necessarily shocked.

You hadn’t told him, and by no means would you consider talking to Chapel or M’Benga, but you didn’t really need to. You’d been through this once before, and you knew if your cycle didn’t follow cramping within a day or two, there was probably another reason for it.

Fuck. You had no idea what these Terrans used for birth control, but you were on the shot and had never had a scare. You hadn’t mentioned that to any of the medical personnel, though, and it dawned on you now that it was completely possible there could have been an interaction with something you’d gotten after coming aboard. Fuck. You had just kind of assumed Leonard would have taken this into account, and now you cursed yourself for not clarifying everything beforehand. You had no idea how he was going to react, and the idea of bringing a new person into this situation filled you with terror. Unless you could figure out a way to get back to 2020 or the other Enterprise, there was no way this would end well for anyone.

As you sat in your quarters trying to think of how to approach this snafu, you heard a voice. You looked up. It was Commander Spock. This was the first time you’d spoken with him since that first day during the ion storm, and while he seemed a good deal calmer than most of the humans on board, his presence was anything but reassuring.

He entered and sat down across from you.

“I assume congratulations are in order,” he said, raising an eyebrow.

Your eyes widened. _What the fuck,_ you thought. “What?”

“I believe you understand my meaning.”

All you could do was stare at him in horror. Spock was not vitriolic like Kirk, but the cool, calculated way in which he acknowledged your situation didn’t do much to reassure you. If anything, it made him more frightening; he would be far more difficult to manipulate or distract if it came down to that.

“How could you possibly know?” you whispered. “I’m not even fully sure myself.”

“The activities of this crew - and especially of the doctor lately - are of interest to me. I have noticed for a while that he has been more stable. I wanted to know why, so I performed a mind-meld on you while you were asleep.”

 _That rat bastard,_ you thought. So that was why your shoulder was bruised. He’d probably pinched you to ensure you didn’t wake.

“So, you know everything, then?” you asked.

Spock nodded. “I have the information I need. It also confirmed my suspicion that you are an empath.”

“Well, why didn’t you take me out entirely, then? I was told I was in danger.” Ugh, you thought. Way to give this asshole ideas. You really needed to rein your big mouth in one of these days.

“By Doctor McCoy?” he asked. “Y/N, understand that like all of us here, he has his motivations. In this case, he most likely wants to keep you close to himself.”

“Because of what happened to his daughter?” you asked.

“In part. But he has other reasons you would no doubt find much less noble. Even by our standards, he is a troubled man. As an empath, I trust you are aware of that even if your abilities are undeveloped.”

You nodded reluctantly. You cared deeply for Leonard at this point, but you were under no illusions about his issues. Wanting to know more, though, you asked, “What do you mean by troubled, exactly?”

“McCoy is prone to a number of human weaknesses,” Spock replied. “Softness, sentimentality. To be an effective officer in this service, one must be able to place self-control and ambition above emotion... the doctor cannot do this easily. If it were not for his outstanding medical abilities, I would have recommended he be eliminated long ago. It is not difficult to see why he gravitated toward you. You show similar softness, but with the strength and stability he desperately needs.”

You weren’t sure whether you should take that last part as a compliment or an insult from this Spock, so you just let him continue.

“There is no logical reason for me to harm you, Y/N. If anything, your being here has improved things on the ship and made Sickbay dramatically more effective.”

“Then why are we having this conversation?” you asked.

“Because I realize that it will no longer be possible for you to stay. As soon as your ‘news,’ as it were, becomes visible, you will be sent away, likely to somewhere you would rather not go. Am I correct to assume you would rather this not be the case?”

“Yes,” you replied dully. If you had been upset before, you were terrified now.

“I am going to share with you something that must remain confidential. It was shared with me when I encountered the other universe’s Captain Kirk. Lt. Moreau is the only other crewman who knows. Remember that if you tell this to anyone, there will be consequences for you.”

“I won’t tell,” you promised.

“There is a machine in the captain’s quarters. This is what he uses to eliminate his enemies. Lt. Moreau and I have determined that it functions not by exterminating life, as we had thought, but by simply transferring it.”

“Transferring it?”

“Moving it to a different place and/or time,” he continued. “I believe I would be able to return you to your home in the year 2020. Is that what you wish?”

“Yes!” you fairly sobbed. Was it really possible you could see home again? Was it this easy?

“Good,” Spock said. “Three days from now, we will be landing at Risa, and the captain will beam down on a ‘diplomatic’ mission. I will remain on the ship to command. Be ready at that time. Once you are home, there are two things I wish you to accomplish. I realize you may not follow through on them, but understand that if you do not, this is the future your progeny will endure.”

“I’ll be ready,” you promised. “Thank you, commander.”

“Gratitude is not necessary, Y/N. This serves a purpose for me as well.”

”Okay,” you swallowed. “Then maybe you won’t be offended when I ask what’s going to become of Leonard?”

“Doctor McCoy will most likely be destroyed after the Risian mission. The captain has noticed changes on the ship since he returned from the other universe. He believes the doctor to be one of those responsible.”

“But he’s not!” you protested. “Even if he had done something and hadn’t told me, I’m sure I would have sensed something.”

“No, I am convinced he is not as well,” Spock replied. “But logic has never been our captain’s strongest suit, and it is even less so now. He is becoming increasingly paranoid regarding his authority.”

“Could McCoy go with me?”

Spock considered.

“There is a chance he could be reformed enough to fit into your time. Before he left, I performed a mind-meld on the other McCoy. He is a deeply emotional man, as you know, but he also possesses great ingenuity and intelligence that could be an asset to a society, and it is possible he could function well enough in a softer culture like yours. He would need much guidance and support to get there, however. Your empathic abilities are undeveloped, but I can see that you have healing abilities. Not the type that his daughter had—”

“What _happened_ to her,” you asked. “I could never bring myself to ask him.”

”Joanna McCoy was an empath, but a physical one, capable of healing physical maladies. You may imagine what the Empire found useful about this. She died shortly after being sent to the royal family of Rigel IV during an outbreak of Telurian plague.”

You shuddered. Poor Joanna. And poor Leonard.

“Your abilities appear to apply to psychological injury,” Spock continued. “I can only assume you are a woman of unusually strong will and mentality to have survived here without succumbing to despair or even insanity.”

“Well, I’ve had some practice setting boundaries,” you said wryly, thinking back to your childhood full of dysfunction.

“This is likely what has kept you safe. It may also save Doctor McCoy, but you will need to protect yourself and proceed slowly.”

“So, are you saying you’ll allow him to go with me?”

Spock nodded. “I will speak with him at the opportune time. Does he know of your condition?”

“No,” you said. “I didn’t know how to tell him. I won’t be able to keep it a secret long, though. I’ve been through this before. I’m just cramping now, but in a week or so, the nausea is going to hit and he’s probably going to know.“

Spock nodded again. “Doctor McCoy is a volatile man, Y/N, but he would not harm you. My concern is that the worry could overwhelm him and cause him to react unpredictably. For that reason, I prefer that he learn of it when I speak to him about our plan.”

You nodded in agreement.

“Three days, Y/N,” Spock said. “We will discuss it then.”


	9. Asylum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spock visits McCoy to tell him of his plans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content-wise, this is more of the same (i.e., mentions of pregnancy and Mirror!Leonard being his normal insecure self.)

Three days went by, and you did your best to keep your agreement to secrecy with Spock. Unfortunately, this also required you to avoid projecting anything to Leonard, which was difficult and exhausting. Combined with the beginnings of normal first-trimester fatigue, you were feeling pretty wiped out, and Leonard was growing increasingly agitated despite your attempts to reassure him that you were okay. He was preparing to run tests on you anyway despite your objections when Spock interrupted him for an impromptu meeting. By the time Spock sat him down, he was nearly beside himself.

“What do you want, commander,” he asked, anxious to get back to Sickbay.

“Only a few moments of your time, doctor. I will keep it brief.”

“Thank Surak,” McCoy said sarcastically.

“There is no need for sarcasm, doctor. I will soon leave you to your regular activities with Y/N.”

“What exactly is that supposed to mean?”

“It means, doctor, that whatever experiments you’ve been conducting on her have been quite fruitful. I trust you know my meaning.”

“I certainly do not.”

“Surely you are aware of her condition, doctor?”

“Her what?” McCoy asked.

“Y/N is expecting a child,” Spock said in his matter-of-fact tone.

McCoy’s face blanched in shock. Then his expression changed to rage. “You son of a bitch, what did you do?” he snarled, lunging at Spock. The latter wasted no time grabbing him by the throat and subduing him with a chokehold.

“Doctor, you will cease this outburst at once,” Spock ordered. “It is clear whose child it is. Even if I were not already spoken for, I have no personal interest in your ‘patient,’ and you have effectively kept her isolated from every other male on this ship. I merely performed a mind-meld, which is quite within my rights to do.”

“It’s impossible,” McCoy said, recovering his breath. “I gave her the standard combined shot when she came on board. There’s no way a human man could have—”

“Doctor, did it occur to you that she may have been using something already? Something your noxious potions interfered with?”

”Dear God,” he said, sitting down and putting his head in his hands. “No. It actually didn’t. Anyway, I was told I couldn’t...that Joanna was a one-in-a-million chance...”

“Evidently that was incorrect.”

“Well, what do you want from me, Spock?” McCoy asked, sighing. “Is this blackmail?”

“Doctor, I have no need of blackmail if I wanted to secure your demise,” Spock stated. “The captain is already planning for that outcome. This is what I intended to discuss with you.”

McCoy paled once again. “The captain?... Me?”

“Yes, doctor. He believes you to be partly responsible for what he perceives to be a loss of his authority since the imposters came aboard.”

“But I was with him on the other Enterprise, how could have I—”

“Yes, I am aware you had no part in it. It does not matter. You, Lt. Moreau, and others have already been sentenced. This is why I must act on my plan now. I recommend you do not attempt to interfere.”

“What’s going to happen to Y/N?” he asked.

“I have already spoken to Y/N. I have a way to send her back to her home in 2020. She wishes to return.”

Leonard’s heart broke at hearing this. Of course she did. Who wouldn’t want to leave this hellhole? She’d probably been waiting for this moment the entire time, and this was why she’d been so distant the last few days. He cursed himself for being so remarkably stupid as to let himself believe that anyone could feel affection for someone like him, and also for the fact that she would be returning with an unplanned pregnancy due to his negligence. He supposed it was just as well that he was about to be put to death. The idea of living in the Empire for the rest of his days without the relief she provided was intolerable.

“Doctor,” Spock interrupted his train of thought. “Y/N has requested that I send you back with her.”

It took a moment for this to register. “She what?”

“Y/N appears to have a most unreasonable and dare I say typically human interest in you. She argued quite persistently on your behalf, in fact.” Spock paused while McCoy tried to wrap his head around this news. “Is this what you wish, doctor? There would be no possibility of returning. Not only would I not bring you back, I have entrusted her with a mission that, by my estimation, should prevent this reality from ever happening.”

“But that would jeopardize your own existence, Spock. At least as a captain, or even first officer. You might not even be born at all.”

“I realize that. It is a risk I am more than willing to take for the sake of my people,” Spock replied, clasping his hands behind his back. “Now, answer my question - do you wish to accompany Y/N?”

“I don’t suppose I have much of a choice, do I?” McCoy noted, trying to sound resigned but in reality feeling more ecstatic than he could remember feeling in his life. What he was being offered may have effectively been exile, but to him it sounded more like paradise. He only hoped to prove himself worthy and never make Y/N regret her decision.


	10. Tabula Rasa**

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Conclusion. The Reader welcomes Len to 2020 and helps him feel at home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Per the ** on the tin, this has smut.

You came to in a damp, grassy field. By the look of the sky, you guessed it was likely very early morning and the sun would be up in a couple of hours. Looking over to your right, you saw to your relief that you weren’t alone. You also spotted your backpack and went to check your phone. It was working, and the date was July 22. You were back, if not exactly where you’d started, at least approximately when. You guessed that Spock must’ve seen something in your mind, because your location — a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, with the city behind you — had been in your dream the previous night and was what you’d been thinking of when he’d entered the information into Kirk’s Tantalus device.

The whole departure had felt so anticlimactic, considering the rest of your ordeal. Within moments of Kirk and his landing party beaming down to Risa, you, Leonard, and Spock had rushed to the captain’s quarters, and Lt. Moreau had let you in. The Tantalus device had turned out to be just a small contraption that looked like a TV screen mounted in the wall of Kirk’s office. You would never have thought such an ordinary-looking gadget capable of transporting people across time and space. You’d also gotten the distinct impression as Moreau and Spock worked and spoke that they and the captain had all been far more than just professional associates, links in the chain of command, but you hadn’t really been in the position to ask questions. Now you wondered what had transpired after you left, and whether the three of them would possibly again be linked after you and Leonard accomplished your mission, only hopefully under much better circumstances.

There were more pressing matters at hand, though. “Leonard,” you whispered, gently stroking his chest.

“Mmmmph,” he grumbled. He rubbed his eyes and sat up. “Where are we?”

You looked at the ocean in front of you and the port gantries off to your left. “By my estimation, the west coast of the U.S. Specifically, Southern California.” You smiled. “What do you think?”

“It’s very different,” he said. “What is this place here?”

“Former military installation, I think,” you said. “World War 2 era. In case the mainland was ever attacked. The artillery’s all been taken out, but the foundations are still here,” you said, pointing to the round battery emplacement in front of you.

McCoy looked at the tide rolling in and the blurry street lights shining through the layer of fog. Drilling platforms were visible off the shore, but in the dark and to someone unfamiliar with them like Leonard, they almost looked like they could be ancient pirate ships, and the lush palm trees and Spanish Revival-style buildings lining the cove made the whole scene look like some kind of tropical fantasy from a centuries-old fairytale. “Hard to believe that war could have happened someplace like this,” he mused. “Hard to believe someplace like this could even exist on Earth.”

You smiled. “Well, I hope you like it. For now, at least. Sounds like it could all change soon.”

He smiled, a more relaxed smile than you’d ever seen from him. “Well, it has one thing going for it. Uh, actually, make that two things,” he said, tentatively placing a hand on your abdomen.

A damp sea breeze blew by just then and you shivered. Leonard put his arms around you and drew you close. “We’d better get you somewhere warmer,” he observed.

“Sure,” you said. “How about my place for a change?”

He nodded, still looking a bit dazed at the massive change of reality he’d just experienced.

“C’mon,” you said, taking his hand. “I’ll get us a ride home. Then we’ll get some food and a little sleep. We can deal with the rest after that.”

You called an Uber to pick you up and take you back to your place two towns over. Your driver looked a little startled by your clothing choices but then smirked, probably thinking you’d been to one hell of a party. You piled in the back with Leonard, watching him take in what was probably his first car ride. When you got to your small flat, you headed for the kitchen, but Leonard noticed your bathroom.

“A hydro-shower!” he said, surprised. “I haven’t seen one of these in years.” The facilities on the ISS Enterprise had been all sonic, with the exception of the one in the captain’s quarters, and while they were more efficient and appropriate for an interstellar cruiser, they weren’t nearly as enjoyable as a good old-fashioned soak.

“Well, you’re probably going to be seeing a lot of them. Care to try it?” you asked, smiling.

“Hmm, I don’t remember how they work,” he said, looking discouraged.

You were about to say something smartass, and then it hit you - he didn’t want to be alone, even if you were just in the next room.

“Want a hand?” you said, smiling.

“Sure,” he said, with a small smile of his own.

“Okay,” you said. “I recommend you get undressed first, though.” He still looked hesitant. “May I?” He nodded.

You started with the gold sash, untying it slowly and then hanging it on the back of the door. His shirt and undershirt followed, and you paused to once again admire him. You’d been keeping the lights dimmed to allow him to get used to the difference from what he was used to on the Enterprise, and in the low light, his tanned skin and light eyes almost seemed to glow. With a gentle touch, you removed his pants and the remainder of his uniform before starting on your own clothing.

Leonard’s expression went from reassured to deeply interested as you shed your shirt, skirt, and finally bra and underwear. Stepping into the shower, you turned on the water and beckoned him in. Pouring some bath oil onto a puff, you started running it all over him, using your other hand to smooth the oil over his shoulders, chest, and stomach as you went. “How’s that?” you asked.

The sight of you naked and wet ignited something in Leonard. Before you knew it, the bath puff was on the floor, you were up against the wall with your hands pinned behind you, and he was pressing feverish kisses to your lips, your jaw, your neck, whatever he could get his mouth on. He used his free hand to explore, making his way down to your core, which was wet for additional reasons, and he growled at your readiness for him. You wriggled a hand free and reached down his front, stroking and gripping the erection pressing into your belly. He was fully hard and leaking already, and he groaned loudly, thrusting into your hand. The bath oil provided exquisite lubrication as you gripped and stroked his dick, and it felt like he was already near the edge just from the touches of your hands.

“Y/N,” he begged. “I don’t want to come like this. I need to be inside you.”

“I have an idea,” you said. Smiling, you shut off the water and led him by both hands to your bedroom, where you pulled him down to the floor in front of the full-length mirror on your sliding closet door. Leonard wasted no time, quickly coating his cock in your moisture and lining himself up, keeping his eyes locked on yours as he did.

No matter how wet and ready you thought you were, his girth always took you by surprise. Leonard stretched into you slowly, savoring your tight heat around him as his cock filled you to near bursting. “Fuck, sweetheart,” he cursed, lowering his head to your shoulder. “I think you were made for me.” You moaned in agreement, holding him close while he got his bearings and you got used to the stretch.

Slowly, you began moving together. Leonard wanted this moment to last longer, but he was already so close, and being able to watch in the mirror as he took you didn’t help. His thrusts quickly gained momentum, and you rolled your hips to meet his. With no mattress under you, your body took the full impact of each impassioned thrust, and he felt impossibly deep and thick inside you. The pleasure was all-consuming, and you both groaned helplessly as you looked at the mirror, watching as he buried himself in you.

It wasn’t long until you were sobbing his name against his mouth and he could feel you coming in tight, clenching waves around him. Leonard swallowed your cries in a steamy kiss. Grasping your hip, he kept his eyes focused on yours as he fucked you with rough, claiming strokes. “I’m going to come, sweetheart,” he drawled. “Are you ready for me?”

“Yes,” you moaned. “Please, Len, please fill me. I need it so bad.”

Hearing you beg for his come pushed him over the edge, and he cursed loudly as his orgasm took over his senses. You sighed as you felt him flooding you with his seed, sudden and hot inside you.

You got up and moved to your bed, where you lay entwined for what seemed like an eternity, just kissing deeply and soaking in the simple pleasure of each other’s warm, bare body, finally free to enjoy each other with no need for secrecy and no threat of everything falling apart at the whim of an unstable captain.

~~~~~~~

You woke again three hours later. The sun was now fully up, and you could hear voices on the street outside. Despite your having a queen-size bed, Leonard was still squeezed as close to you as possible - whether that was out of habit or need, you weren’t sure. You didn’t mind, though. Turning around toward him, you wrapped a leg over his bare hip and his eyes opened.

“It really happened, didn’t it?” he asked, holding your thigh against himself. “I thought I’d dreamed it. But I’m still here.”

“Yes, you are,” you smiled. “And to stay.”

“Thank God,” he said, holding you tighter.

You knew this wasn’t over yet. Leonard was going to need a lot of help to recover, as Spock had cautioned, and the memories of the nightmare he’d endured for so long weren’t going anywhere anytime soon. But you could both take solace in the fact that the worst of those experiences were now behind him, and with the information Spock had given you, they didn’t need to be part of anyone’s future. Both Leonard and this universe had been given a second chance, and you would do your best to see that they both got as much out of it as possible.


End file.
